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Linux Media Server Option license violation - huh?

Artegic
Level 6

I'm running Backup Exec 2012 on Windows Server 2008 for backing up several Windows servers and an ESXi host.

Today I added a Linux server to be backed up. After restarting the Backup Exec services I was greeted with a message (translated from German):

Warning Message: Storage Error
Drive Data
Server: GOLGI
Storage: n.a.
Job name: n.a.
Date and time: 23.12.2013 16:43:46
Message: Linux Media Server Option license violation
               The trial period for the Linux Media Server Option has expired. You must acquire the Linux Media Server Option or deactivate the devices. You'll find additional information in the documentation.
Additional information: Support database article V-275-444

Indeed, the Linux server is now listed not only on the "Backup and Restore" tab, but also on the "Storage" tab, with a duplicate of my deduplication storage (which resides on the Windows 2008 server) appearing attached to it. If I try to delete it, I get a popup

Redirect job. This device is only assigned storage jobs. These jobs are deleted before the device is deleted.

followed by an error message

Schedule given for job 'Tape - weekly' is invalid. The server has received wrong or invalid data.

and another

Backup Items could not be updated. The method Backup Items was called with invalid arguments.

This continues in an endless loop until I click Cancel, and the Linux server is not deleted from the Storage pane.

The online help only tells me how to install a Linux media server (which I do not want to do), not to find out why Backup Exec might think I have one nor how to deactivate whatever Backup Exec mistakes for one.

The "additional information" link leads to a Support Search Results web page stating "No Answers Found".

What can I do?

Thanks,
Tilman
 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Sush---
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hello Tilman,

    It seems that the option that you have enabled is "Remote Media Agent for Linux". As you just need to backup and restore the data from the Linux server you just need to add its License and then add that remote Linux server to the Backup & restore tab.

You do not need "Remote Media Agent for Linux". Attached is the snapshot giving information about ""Remote Media Agent for Linux".

RMAL.jpg

 

Regards,

-Sush...

View solution in original post

11 REPLIES 11

Artegic
Level 6

On a hunch, I deleted the Linux server from the Backup and Restore pane, whereupon it turned red on the Storage pane, telling me I should delete and re-add it, but the Delete operation was inactive (greyed).

One restart of the Backup Exec services fixed that, I could delete it, and to my relief the deduplication store was still there.

Next I'll try to add it again, hoping to find a way to tell Backup Exec that this is just a backup client, not a media server.

Sush---
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hello Tilman,

    It seems that the option that you have enabled is "Remote Media Agent for Linux". As you just need to backup and restore the data from the Linux server you just need to add its License and then add that remote Linux server to the Backup & restore tab.

You do not need "Remote Media Agent for Linux". Attached is the snapshot giving information about ""Remote Media Agent for Linux".

RMAL.jpg

 

Regards,

-Sush...

Artegic
Level 6

Thanks, Sush. It seems that option is enabled by default. Disabling it during the reinstallation of the Linux client solved the problem.

Best regards and happy new year,

Tilman

J__Scott_Harris
Level 3

Artegic,

How did you reinstall the Linux agent without that option enabled? I am running into the same error and am not particularly familiar with the Linux side of things.

Sush---
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Hello Scott,

   Please follow this technote to install the Linux agent.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH46461 : Step by step installation of the Backup Exec Remote Agent for Linux and UNIX Servers (RALUS) on the Red Hat Linux platform.

 

Regards,

-Sush...

J__Scott_Harris
Level 3

Sush,

Thank you for the link. However in that article there is no reference to the selection or deselection of the Remote Media Agent for Linux. We are not having a problem backing up the Linux server. We just want to remove that server from Storage (it is not a storage device, just another server being backed up) and we do not want to continue getting the "Linux Media Server Option license violation" error.

How do we remove this option? The screenshot you provided in your previous response to Artegic shows it exists but not where it exists.

Thanks,

Scott

Artegic
Level 6

Sorry, I didn't note exactly where that option appeared. I distinctly remember a GUI so it was probably while adding the Linux server in the Backup Exec console. It was a checkbox which was recognizably labelled as "enable media server" or something similar, and it was checked by default.

HTH
Tilman

J__Scott_Harris
Level 3

Tilman,

I tried adding a dummy server but during the creation of the server object the only things I was asked for were the name and logon account to connect. No other options were presented. When checking the details on the server which is incorrectly showing up on the storage tab there are settings available for "direct access sharing". When I deselect everything in that section and apply the changes the storage listing changes to "device creation failed. Delete the device, and try creating it again." but without the ability to delete it even following a restart of the services and a full reboot of the server. The delete option is greyed out.

J__Scott_Harris
Level 3

I think I found where that screenshot was taken. It looks like it is on the configure options page of the license and option installation process. However, the Remote Media Agent for Linux option is only listed under "Options Available for Trial (60 Days)" and is not currently selected.

Artegic
Level 6

Hm, yes, now that you mention it, the memory comes back. Yes, the "direct access sharing" option was the one. And I, too, tried deselecting it only to be confronted with the "delete the device and try creating it again" message and no way of doing that.

At that point I completely deleted the Linux server from the Backup and Restore - All Servers pane. ISTR several attempts and one or more restarts of Backup Exec services were necessary before it was completely gone, though I'm not sure about the latter one. I have to restart Backup Exec services so often I don't remember every occasion.

Then I added the server again. During that process, in one of the later dialog steps, I was offered the "direct access sharing" option again. It was checked by default, and of course without a hint that it would require an additional license. This time, knowing what to look for, I disabled it, and neither the server's entry on the Storage pane nor the license warning reappeared. YMMV

HTH
Tilman

J__Scott_Harris
Level 3

Thank you for the info. I am going to have to open a ticket with Symantec as deleting the server object is not an option (it has been in place without problem for almost a year but we only just started seeing the license error, likely in relation to the installation of service pack 3). If we delete the server we will have to recreate the multiple jobs associated with it as well as lose the job history and logs.

Again, many thanks for the assistance.